The deposition of ice or other type of undesired material on the wind turbine blades hampers the proper functioning thereof and entails, among other consequences, modification of the geometry of the aerodynamic blade profile and poor distribution of loads and stresses on both on the rotor and other wind turbine components. Said problem is well known and there are multiple solutions in the state of the art for detecting, determining or monitoring changes in the aerodynamic profile of the blades or for directly detecting the formation of ice.
Solutions aimed at solving said problem, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,834B2, which describes the manner in which ice is detected on the blades of a wind turbine, are known to exist in the state of art.
Likewise, US2011042950 (A1), which details a system for quantifying the quantity of ice formed on the blades and that will continue functioning if the quantity of ice deposited is smaller than a certain predetermined quantity; if this quantity is exceeded, the wind turbine switches to a non-load operating mode wherein the ice on the blades continues to be quantified.
ES2293269T3 discloses a method for detecting ice on a wind turbine, wherein the operating mode of the wind turbine is modified if certain values are determined by means of sensors, the result of which is compared to predefined operating parameter values of the wind energy facility; if the comparison determines a previously estimated difference value, the operating mode is modified.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,761B2 discloses a method for managing a wind turbine which details a method for determining the minimum blade pitch value in accordance with the blade efficiency value calculated based on wind speed and rotor speed and for maintaining the blade pitch angle at a value greater than or equal to the minimum blade pitch value determined in response to the blade efficiency parameter, regardless of the programmed operating parameters.
None of said documents provides a valid solution to the problem of increasing wind turbine availability in situations where a certain degree of variation in the aerodynamic profile of the blades is determined.